30 years on

Anniversaries of the October Revolution were marked with postcards, stamps, and badges, and here is an example from 1947. Lenin stands on his plinth with red flags declaring “All power to the Soviets!” and “Hail the Socialist revolution!” behind him. Stalin is in the scroll-styled section to the right. He expresses gladness for the knowledge that victory was won and that this knowledge “strengthens one’s faith in our strength and mobilises us on to new battle to win new victories for Communism.” The art work is attributed to K.K. Ivanov, likely the poster artist Konstantin Ivanov.

Commemoration of and historiographical conflict about the events of the October Revolution and the civil war continued in the Soviet Union and in the émigré diaspora for the duration of the former’s existence. The October centenary in 2017 and the ways in which the anniversary was marked – or not marked – proved that work to understand and process these dramatic events continues to this day.